Nigerian defender Bright Osayi-Samuel sees red in Europe

It was a bittersweet night for Nigerian defender Bright Osayi-Samuel as Fenerbahce clinched a 2-1 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise in their first Europa League group stage match on September 26, 2024.

Despite the win, Osayi-Samuel, who came on as a second-half substitute, was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, one of which led to a penalty.

Fenerbahce took the lead through Caglar Soyuncu’s close-range finish in the 26th minute. They doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute when Union Saint-Gilloise’s Christian Burgess scored an own goal after a defensive mix-up.

However, Osayi-Samuel’s late red card in extra time gave the Belgian side a chance to mount a comeback. Despite Ivanovic missing the resulting penalty, Ross Sykes scored in added time to make it 2-1.

Fenerbahce held on to secure their first Europa League win of the season, extending their unbeaten streak against Belgian opposition.